If you’ve finally made the decision to go out and buy yourself a turntable, there’s no question that you’re in for one hell of a musical ride! You’re about to have a ton of fun trying out old and new records, and dive into the world of vinyl right in the comfort of your own home or studio. However, if you’re new to the turntable, then there are a couple of things you should know.
How to use it
It may seem a little intimidating at first, especially if you’ve never used a turntable before, but it is quite a simple process. However, there are a couple of factors that you need to keep in mind so that you know you’re doing it all right.
- Know how to handle your records – hold them gently and from the edge so that you’re doing your best not to get any grease or dirt on them.
- Know how to place the records – this is just as important as the handling. Very simply, align the center of the record with the spindle and lower it down slowly and gently so you don’t damage the player or the record
- Place the tonearm – You have to lift it and put it on the outer edge of the record.
How to place it correctly
It is extremely important that you place your turntable in the right place. It’s always better if you have a room that is dedicated to only playing records, because that way, you can make sure that it’s set up in a way that gives you the best sound. Be sure to have as little furniture and obstructions as possible so that the sound has sufficient space to vibrate and project. You should invest in a table for your record player, the best way to do so is to look up reviews on different kinds to see which one would suit you best. These are advisable because they’re all made in a way that puts the player at a higher level so that the sound is at its best.
Know about record sizes & speed
Your record player will have a switch that will be able to control the speed at which the record is played. There are 3 different sized records and each play at different speeds, this speed is measured in Revolutions Per Minute, or RPM for short.
- 7 inch records – these are played at 45RPM and the track will probably last around 5 minutes.
- 12 inch records – these records are played at 33RPM and can take up to 22 minutes of a recording on each side, providing much more music than the 7 inch.
- 10 inch records – These are played at 78RPM and are quite rare because this is what music was recorded on when the records player firsts came out. Currently, music is not recorded on this size of the disc and so you won’t find most players even having the option to play 78RPM.
The digitized option
When you buy your turntable, you should already know whether you want to focus on having a player that exclusively plays vinyl records or not. This is important to take care of because some people do like to have a digitized option, in which case the player will have a USB port.
Understand the parts
There are a couple of parts on any modern player that are upgradeable, and it’s important for you to know that in case you need to do so, instead of thinking that you’d need to invest in a new one. The needle, also known as the stylus, tonearm, and the platter are all parts that can be upgraded.
You now have a basic knowledge of how to really make the most of your turntable experience, and can safely say you know how to handle record, play it, and also understand that specs that go behind it! Knowing how and where to place your player is extremely important, so do go that extra mile and invest in a table so that the sound is given the best quality. Remember that you always have the option to have the parts changed or upgraded as well.